The Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute Th e BPSI Bulletin May 2012 In Th is Issue: Letter From the Editor Letter from the Editor Aft er years of discussion, we are fi nally not know the present without understand- leaving our home at 15 Commonwealth ing the past, so in this edition, for one last Transition Director’s Letter Avenue. It’s sometimes hard to imagine look at the home we are leaving, I have Education Division News separating the institution from the place, summarized what Bill Ackerly lovingly the building itself seeming to embody wrote about the history of 15 Common- Membership Division News both what has been good about BPSI—the wealth Avenue and I have included Sanford Membership News intellectual curiosity and generosity of its Giff ord’s report of how a psychoanalytic members—and what has been bad about institute came to be established in the Academic Affi liation and BPSI—the history of exclusivity written all Back Bay in the fi rst place. (It used to be Research News over the walls of this 19th century man- very convenient!) We also have updates on sion. And what will be left when we leave the accomplishments and activities of our Community and Public these walls behind? Who will we be when members, updates on our web site and fu- Programs News we lose this aspect of our identity? At ture home, reports on the activities of our Boundary Violations the fi rst meeting of the new Membership new divisions, and Nancy Chodorow’s in- Council, we began talking about just this. troduction to her new collection of essays. Website News Th e conclusion was that we are left with As always, if there is something you would History of 15 ourselves—our members, our relation- like to see included in the next edition (fall ships, our governance structures. Th ese 2012), please contact me at skattlove@ Commonwealth Avenue will support us while we look for a home, comcast.net. From Our Authors and these will determine the kind of home we will build in the future. Susan Kattlove, MD Members Awards But, as any analyst would say, you can- Editor Susan Kattlove, MD Editor Transition Director’s Letter Editorial Board: Deborah Choate, MD “Transition” is a word capturing much of psychoanalysis for many generations. Our Karen Melikian, PhD BPSI this spring, most concretely embod- move brings a multitude of responses, from ied in our upcoming move. In June, BPSI grief, to nostalgia and loss, to the anxiety Ann L. Katz, EdD will move from 15 Commonwealth Av- and excitement of new opportunities and President enue to Newton Centre, to our beautiful the future. Ellen Blumenthal, MD transitional space on the bucolic campus Th e move also invites our refl ection Chair, Board of Trustees of Andover-Newton Th eological School, on BPSI’s own transition. Each of us will adjacent to Hebrew College. locate its beginnings at a diff erent point in Catherine R. Kimble, MD March 30, 2012 was a historic day for time, but I felt rumblings of the transition Transition Director BPSI. At 12:41 PM, the transfer of 15 Com- even before then-President Randy Paulsen Carole A. Nathan monwealth Avenue to her new owners was began inviting members to meet in small Managing Director recorded. Th e new owners are a family groups to talk about the future of psycho- planning to use 15 Commonwealth as their analysis and BPSI. Th at process culminated private home, renovating with the intent to in a renewed clarity of mission for BPSI: a boston psychoanalytic society and institute maintain and honor its historic architec- home for the education, development, and ture. 15 Commonwealth has been BPSI’s collegial intellectual exchange throughout 15 commonwealth ave. home for sixty years, its gracious space the professional lives of psychoanalysts and boston, ma 02116 containing the intellectual depth, creativity, psychoanalytic psychotherapists; an intel- (617) 266-0953 and controversy that have shaped Boston lectually rich psychoanalytic community www.bostonpsychoanalytic.org (continued on next page) May 2012 THE BPSI BULLETIN Page 2 embracing theoretical diversity and collegial exchange; and a ing collaborations with local training programs to engage community where a wide spectrum of psychoanalytic careers psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers early in their are valued and supported – from pure clinical work, to ana- careers, the new Education Division’s collaborations between lytic education, writing, engagement with the arts or medi- the Institute’s Psychoanalytic and Psychotherapy training cine, and bringing psychoanalytic work to the community. programs, and, perhaps most prominently, Janet Noonan’s Our “strategic plan” gave us an organizing set of priori- new role in attracting potential trainees to learn about the In- ties and projects for the organization. Most visible may be stitute, Fellowship, and ATP through her series of discussions the incredible governance process led by Ann Katz and with trainees and faculty. We now have, as one colleague said, Bernard Edelstein, leading to our new divisions, and a new “many front doors to BPSI.” transparent and fl exible governance, which has at its heart Finally, please join us in the fall as we transition further, to the Coordinating Committee, a collaborative roundtable of the Trask Library on the Andover Newton Th eological School BPSI leadership across all divisions. Another project is a new campus at 169 Herrick Road in Newton Centre. By the fall, staffi ng model, which includes a skilled managing director, renovations will be complete on Trask Library, where we will a fi nance offi cer, and the experimental Transition Director be leasing space for up to four years while we continue our position, soon to become the Executive Director, a psycho- eff ors to secure a permanent home. Public programs will be analyst member hired to facilitate continuity in our projects. held at Wilson Chapel, a beautiful glass structure across the We are just at the beginnings of using our new model, but the green from Trask. Trask is a fi ve-minute walk to the Newton creative energy already blossoming is evident elsewhere in Centre T station and the many restaurants in Newton Cen- this newsletter. tre, is handicap accessible, and, something new, has ample For some, the most exciting change at BPSI is the idea parking! With our move we have the opportunity to usher in that inviting new interest in our fi eld is not left to the ad- a future for both BPSI and psychoanalysis that is more visible, missions committees, but rather is the responsibility of the engaged, and integrated with the community. entire organization. Across BPSI we are launching eff orts to involve young trainees, colleagues and others in the com- Catherine Kimble, MD munity in psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic ideas. Some of Transition Director these eff orts include our Greeter Program at events, develop- Education Division News Th e new bylaws have created a new Education Division, Psychoanalytic Training Program co-chaired by the Chair of Psychoanalytic Education and At this time of change in our organization at BPSI, it is a the Chair of Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Education. As pleasure for me to report on some of the exciting new pro- Co-Chairs of the Education Division, we are actively look- grams within the Institute. Working with Nancy Chodorow, ing at the needs of the various training programs, exploring Catherine Kimble, Carole Nathan, Karen Smolens and Erica places where their policies and procedures can be aligned, Coray, Janet Noonan has created new opportunities for po- and where programs can enhance each other, and recogniz- tential applicants to our adult and child training programs to ing places where our diff erent programs have diff erent needs. learn about training and our vibrant, intellectual community. We decided that for this Newsletter we would each write a In addition to our annual Open House, Janet organized four brief piece about what has been happening in our part of the Information Sessions for people to learn specifi cally about Education Division. psychoanalytic training through round table discussions with BPSI candidates, recent graduates and faculty. Th e topics for Jim Walton, MD these information sessions were: Director of Psychoanalytic Training • Expanding and Deepening Your Practice: Why Become a Psychoanalyst? Richard Gomberg, MD • More Th an Just a Dream: How Can Psychoanalytic Director of Psychotherapy Training Training Be Aff ordable? • Report from the Field: How Does a Psychoanalyst Practice in the Era of Evidence Based Treatment? • Taking the Next Steps to Becoming an Analyst Th rough warm and engaging discussions with BPSI can- didates and graduates, applicants were able to learn about analytic training, consider their readiness to begin, and hear May 2012 BPSI BULLETIN NEWSLETTER Page 3 about the opportunities for professional growth and develop- ing year, during which Alan Pollack, Jose Saporta, and Janet ment in the BPSI community. Th ey were also given informa- Noonan have turned over leadership to a new cast of char- tion packets about the training program, fi nancial assistance acters. Th e transition has been a gradual one, including both and the reduced fee training analyses. continuity and change, not unlike the process that BPSI is go- As members of the new Case Finding and Development ing through overall. Richard Gomberg has taken on the role Committee, Catherine Kimble, Chair, Cary Friedman, Jim of Director of Psychotherapy Training, and he is supported by Frosch, Ellen Golding and Alison Phillips have begun meet- a new structure of leadership within the psychotherapy train- ing to develop ideas, initiate and integrate projects and pro- ing programs. Th e new leadership includes: vide continuity in fi nding ways to help candidates fi nd and Paul David: Chair of Supervision develop psychoanalytic cases.